


Duly Noted

by Princess_in_Armor



Series: The Lunar Chronicles Ship Weeks (2017-) [3]
Category: Lunar Chronicles - Marissa Meyer
Genre: F/M, Jacin is oblivious AF, Jacinter, Library AU, Prompt: Library, The Lunar Chronicles Ship Weeks, Winter is awesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 05:56:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9421493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princess_in_Armor/pseuds/Princess_in_Armor
Summary: Jacin receives sweet notes from a secret admirer from the library's book return slot.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for TLC Ship Weeks 2017. Theme: Library. Enjoy!!

Jacin walked back to the checkout desk, arms sore from shelving books. Mumbling under his breath, he sat back down in the spinning chair and went to grab his textbook. He halted and cast a sweeping glance around the library. Thank the stars, no one was coming up now. Maybe he could actually read a little more.

He opened his anatomy textbook and took out a highlighter.

He knew it wouldn't last long, but he was hoping this time he would have longer than a couple minutes. But, no, he was never so lucky.

"Excuse me?"

Jacin sighed and, after quickly skimming the rest of the sentence, glanced up.

"Ye- Yes?"

Jacin felt his eyes widen, but he slammed a mental fist down on his shock immediately. He recognized her. She was in several of his classes. She gave smiles to everyone, and it always brightened his day. She noticed when people were absent, and offered them her notes so they could catch up. She hummed when she walked. Her handwriting was beautiful. He added a slight bored tone to his voice to minimize the obvious incredulity he was feeling.

"May I help you?"

She tilted her head, curls spilling over one shoulder. "You're Jacin Clay, yes?"

Blood rushed to Jacin's cheeks. He felt a little bad for not knowing her name.

"Yes." Pause. "I've seen you around," he added awkwardly. The girl grinned and stuck out her hand.

"My name is Winter Hayle-Blackburn."

Jacin shook her hand. He hadn't shaken someone's hand in a long time.

"Nice to meet you." _What?_ He had never truthfully uttered that phrase in his life. But he meant it this time.

"Can I check out this book?"

"Sure." Jacin gave her a pen and watched as she wrote her name in a loopy signature. She finished and straightened. She gave a little wave.

"Nice to meet you as well, Jacin."

And off she went.

Jacin couldn't help but feel like he had entered an alternate reality. Everything about her - her walk, her cadence, her smile - reminded him of a princess.

A couple days later, Jacin had to shelve books again. Winter had shown up several more times, and, with every visit, she stopped to talk. Jacin couldn't believe that she was just as kind as she had appeared to be. She was funny and mischievous, too. Because he was a being of pure sarcasm, he had made some really dry jokes, and she had replied in the same snarky tone. She was incredible. He was convinced she was a princess - from outer space or something.

He had told her so, and she had cackled.

"Who knows? Maybe I was exiled." She had winked at him, and his heart had stalled.

He was beginning to look forward to her interrupting his textbook reading.

Jacin lifted the books out of the book return slot, arms aching again. He sifted through the titles and grimaced. Did anyone actually read any of these? Rolling his eyes, he reached back into the slot to search for anything left behind. There was something loose… paper?

He pulled it out and all it said was:

_You have a lovely smile, Jacin. Like the rising sun, I think._

Jacin was so confused. He would have thought it was for someone else if it didn't have his name on it. There were no other Jacins. At least, none with that spelling. This was someone who had spoken to him long enough to know his name.

He felt a smile touch his lips and he shook his head. He slipped the note into his pocket and went back to shelving books.

* * *

At first, they were sweet compliments.

_Your eyes are pretty._

_You're really funny._

_You're very kind._

Then they became personal, more meaningful.

_I think it's really interesting that you'd like to be a doctor. I'd like to heal people as well._

_Do you have a favorite fairy tale? I've always loved Snow White. I wish the guard had more personality though. Don't you think Snow White has the right to be known by something other than her beauty?_

Then they became silly - just questions about who he was.

_Do you have a favorite candy? I like sour apple anything._

_When you were little, who did you like dressing up as?_

_What's your favorite color?_

"Hey, stranger."

Jacin quickly folded the note he was holding (" _I like yellow most."_ ) and shoved inside his pocket. It wasn't a new note. He hadn't gotten one for almost two weeks now. His mind was whirring. This was obviously someone who knew him, but what had happened to them?

"Jacin?"

Jacin looked up distractedly. "Yeah, sorry. I was just leaving. Join me?"

Winter smiled. "Of course."

They walked outside and Winter asked, "What was the paper you were holding?"

Jacin blushed. "Oh, um." Hesitation. "Well, this person's been leaving me notes. Like compliments and stuff."

Winter laughed and nudged him with her arm. "You have a secret admirer!"

Jacin smirked. "I guess. I mean, I figure they know me, since they know how I want to be a doctor and all. But…" He paused. He looked at Winter. Beautiful Winter. His heart sped up. He had developed a slight crush on her, so he wasn't sure if he should talk about this "secret admirer" to her.

Winter raised an eyebrow expectantly. "But…?"

Jacin gave up his brief struggle. Even in the several months he'd gotten to know her better, she had quickly become a close friend. Yes, she was his best friend before anything else. "But they haven't put a note in for a while."

Winter nodded slowly and turned back forward. "Do you want them to?"

"What?"

"Do you miss the notes?"

Jacin thought about it. "I don't know. I'm kind of worried, though. And the person asked me a bunch of questions. I wonder who they are." Jacin snickered. "If I like them enough, I'll even answer their questions."

Winter rolled her eyes. "They'll be so glad to know they are worthy to know your favorite color."

"Not everyone has access to that information. It's confidential."

"Is that why I don't know it?"

Jacin grinned. "You're not _that_ good of a friend."

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

They both laughed. They looked at each other; their gazes lingering. A little too long. A little too short.

Jacin wanted to hear her laugh forever.

* * *

The next day, Jacin received a note.

_(XXX)-XXX-XXX_

Jacin snorted as he entered the number into his phone. He was curious.

He grinned even wider as his phone automatically replaced the number with a contact name.

He typed out a text and sent it.

_**To:** _ _Winter Hayle-Blackburn_

_**From:** _ _Jacin Clay_

_My favorite color is green._


End file.
